Oluremi Tinubu calls for sustainable health financing in Africa

By Kunle Sanni

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has called for sustainable and innovative health financing strategies to ensure efficient resource mobilization and utilization across Africa.

She made this call at a High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing in Africa, hosted by Rwandan President Paul Kagame on the sidelines of the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

Addressing leaders and stakeholders, Tinubu emphasized that Africa’s economic growth and social stability are directly linked to the strength of its healthcare systems.

She warned that recent policy changes in the United States, which may lead to funding gaps, make it imperative for African nations to seek homegrown financial solutions for their health sectors.

“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable. Instead, we must develop innovative financing strategies tailored to our unique challenges and circumstances,” she said.

Sharing Nigeria’s perspective, the First Lady advocated for a health system that provides universal access to quality healthcare without imposing financial burdens on citizens.

She urged African governments to fulfill the Abuja Declaration’s commitment to allocating at least 15% of their annual budgets to healthcare.

“As the Global and National Stop TB Champion, I understand the critical role First Ladies can play in resource mobilization. We must leverage our platforms to advocate for increased national health budgets, expand health insurance coverage, establish health endowment funds, and explore investments from the African diaspora,” she stated.

She also stressed the importance of accountability and transparency to ensure that healthcare funds are used efficiently and effectively.

The meeting brought together Presidents and Heads of State from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Barbados, as well as donor agencies and funding partners.

Discussions centered on the need for Africa to take ownership of its healthcare funding by investing in research, technology, medication production, and skilled workforce development.

Participants unanimously agreed that sustainable financing is essential to keeping Africa’s citizens productive and ensuring long-term economic prosperity.

The High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing was part of broader discussions at the 38th AU Summit, where leaders continued to explore solutions for Africa’s pressing challenges.